N.Koreans 'See Kim Jong-un as Upstart'

Kim Jong-un /Yonhap

North Koreans feel new leader Kim Jong-un is getting above his station by having himself appointed first secretary of the Workers Party by the country's rubber-stamp parliament earlier this month, a South Korean official claimed Sunday.

"In North Korea, first secretary stands above all other secretaries," the official said. "North Koreans are saying that Kim Jong-un has risen to a higher position than his father and are whispering that it is immoral of him to do that."

In the North, any title with "first" in it is considered extremely eminent. Kim Jong-il was general secretary of the party.

The official claimed this sentiment is shared by some North Korean party and military officials. But the source added that this is an extremely sensitive issue and nobody dare discuss it publicly.